Jute Fiber Overview

Jute Fiber

  • General Characteristics

    • Known as the "Golden Fiber".
    • Comes from the stem of Corchorus species (e.g., Corchorus capsularis, Corchorus olitorius).
    • Major producers: India, China, Bangladesh.
    • Cash crop primarily for export.

  • Classification

    • Family: Tiliaceae
    • Order: Malvales
    • Chromosome number: 2n = 14
    • Pollination: Self-pollinated (epigeal germination).

  • Production and Processing

    • Cultivation starts with warm and humid conditions (24°C to 37°C) during rainy season, sowed from March to May.
    • Fiber extraction involves stages: harvesting, retting, stripping, washing, drying, bailing, and packing.

  • Harvesting and Retting

    • Harvested when flowers shed, typically 120-150 days after sowing.
    • Retting is the process using bacteria in water to loosen fibers (60-90 cm depth).

  • Washing and Drying

    • Fibers washed to remove dark color using tamarind water.
    • Sun-dried on bamboo railings.

  • Properties

    • Color: Yellow to brown to grey.
    • Length: 1-4 meters.
    • Tensile strength lower than flax due to irregularities.
    • Absorbs 23% moisture; sensitive to aging and microorganisms.

  • Advantages

    • Antistatic, biodegradable, cheap, used widely in agriculture and textiles.

  • Disadvantages

    • Low crease resistance and drape properties, loss of strength when wet.

  • End Uses

    • Sacks, packing cloth, curtains, technical textiles, mixed with synthetic fibers.